Topeka ? Want to improve state government?

Call 1-877-KSWORKS, click on www.ksgovernor.com or send an e-mail to ksworks@ksgovernor.com. Operators and Gov.-elect Kathleen Sebelius are standing by.
“We want to encourage Kansas citizens to share their good ideas,” Sebelius said.

Sebelius unveiled the Web site, toll-free phone number and e-mail address Thursday as part of her “top-to-bottom” review of state government.

Sebelius previously announced formation of five teams called Kansas Best to make recommendations on how to save taxpayer dollars and streamline Kansas government.

The calls and messages from Kansans will be considered by those teams, she said.

Sebelius said people who wanted to remain anonymous could do so. And, she said, she expected to receive a lot of suggestions from state employees.

Among the first calls to the toll-free line were ones suggesting that all Medicaid programs be consolidated under one agency, and that the Kansas Department of Revenue do a better job of keeping up its computer system and answering the phones.

Sebelius said the Kansas Best teams would soon conduct public meetings to get suggestions from the public but would deliberate behind closed doors.

She said the secret meetings would allow more candid discussion of issues and ideas.

“I don’t want to inhibit the opportunity for frank and very candid discussion of what doesn’t work very well,” she said.

During the recent election, the Sebelius campaign received about 15,000 e-mails from people with suggestions for improving state government, said Joyce Allegrucci, a special assistant to Sebelius.

Allegrucci said many of the e-mails dealt with people saying that others were not paying their fair amount of taxes.